1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to resuscitation devices and more specifically it relates to an automatic cardiac compression system that is portable, simple to install on a patient and provides effective cardiac compression on a wide range of patient sizes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are numerous resuscitation devices. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,887 to Nowakowski; U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,619 to Everete; U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,924 to Bloom are all illustrative of such prior art.
Nowakowski (U.S. Pat. No. 5,327,887) discloses a cardiopulmonary resuscitation device which is portable and self-contained. Nowakowski teaches a base which adjustably supports a thumper which repeatedly engages the chest of a patient along with a ventilator.
Everete (U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,619) discloses an external cardiac compression device for applying manual external cardiac massage. Everete teaches a base, a vertical support member, and an arm pivotally attached to the vertical support member with a flanged shaft extending downwardly therefrom for engaging the patient's chest.
While these devices may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they are not as suitable for providing an automatic cardiac compression system that is portable, simple to install on a patient and provides effective cardiac compression on a wide range of patient sizes.
In these respects, the automatic cardiac compression system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing an automatic cardiac compression system that is portable, simple to install on a patient and provides effective cardiac compression on a wide range of patient sizes.